After the War
by DJfoolheart
Summary: My first fanfiction. my personal prediction of how events may unfold. enjoy. all characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.
1. Chapter 1

"Rasengan!" I screamed as the orb of chakra slammed down upon my enemy. At first I assumed that my jutsu hadn't made contact since it had seemed to begin to, once again, pass through my enemy. I hadn't had any indication of damage done until the opposing scream erupted into my ears. I then realized that my old sensei, Kakashi, had not only used his kamui but it was also in the right place at the right time. I felt a warm liquid surround my attacking hand and churning within Obitos chest. I immediately knew that my rasengan had left his heart as nothing but tatters and shreds of flesh.

In the midst of another blood-curdling scream, Obito fell to his knees and writhed as I quickly withdrew my blood drenched hand. It was finally over. We finally won. My thoughts of victory quickly subsided as the reality set in that I, Naruto Uzumaki, had just intentionally killed a person. Whether he was a monster or not didn't seem to matter me. He was still a person. He had a life before the hell that he most recently experienced. He was once just a kid… a kid just like me… a kid full of dreams, goals, and fears. I suddenly saw the image of the past child over the current image of the bloodied monster.

As the image of the child - in resemblance to me - began his childish laughter, I doubled over in tears as well as a rush of adrenaline. I fell to my knees and watched Obito struggle to breath. He suddenly spat up a chunk of blood and clutched his chest. In that small moment of draining life he seemed to be laughing at something. Maybe it was from realization of his mortality, maybe it was from his own amusement at the expression on my face. I couldn't be sure. As his life further departed, he seemed to be determined to share one last thing to be remembered by.

"Do you feel that boy?"

He tried to fill his voice with what I assume was supposed to be a mocking tone but instead it came out as a slightly garbled and pleading question. Even though he hadn't made the intended tone, he produced the desired effect. A wave of nausea hit me hard. I began panting heavily and tried to dismiss the feeling. It didn't work. I leaned to my right; dry heaved, vomited stomach acid, and then released more tears. I was quickly joined by a very worried Hinata. It probably looked like some sort of attack had been delivered even though Obito hadn't moved from his spot. He just continued to tenaciously delay his death just to see me break down further.

"Are you alright, Naruto-kun?" Hinata softly questioned me. She squatted down next to me and began to check for any impeding threats to my well being. When she didn't find any she simply began to rub my back and wipe away my tears. It was similar to how a sympathetic mother would sooth her sad child and then tell it that 'everything would be ok.' Right when it had begun to work, Obito felt obligated to rub more salt in the wound.

"Yeah Naruto, are you alright? You seem so… broken. You seem so... helpless. You seem so... weak. How does it feel to deal death? How does it feel to hate? How does it feel to satisfy your craving for revenge?"

Even though he was the one currently broken, helpless, and weak his words still stung and numbed me. Every word he said was expressed with such malicious intent that it shook me to the core. Even though I just won the war I also lost the battle. I'd prevented the worst possible fate for the entire ninja alliance but I still lost. I still hadn't prevented the death of many of my comrades. I couldn't stop Madara from killing the kages. I couldn't stop the juubi from killing all those shinobi. I couldn't even stop the death of the very person that originally fueled the creation of my nindo. Neji didn't have to give his life for me and I'd like to think that he knew what he was doing.

Obito coughed up more blood and collapsed to the ground. Hinata and I watched as his heaving chest slowly decreased in speed until finally it didn't move at all. Hinata activated her byakugan just to check for any signs of life. Just for extra measure she approached the body and closely examined the wounded area. When she was satisfied she deactivated her jutsu and returned to my side. I tried to compose myself as Hinata once again looked me over for any injuries.

I couldn't look at her or anything for that matter. I was right on the edge and just about anything would probably set me off. I knew that for a fact. What I didn't know was what I'd do if I was set off. Hinata seemed to sense my tension and she used her hand to turn my face towards hers. She gazed at my face first for injuries then again in relief that I lacked them. Then her lavender hues met my blues with a sense of worry. I felt myself begin to well up again and I tried my best to hold my ground. Then she asked that same question from before but filled it with knowing and understanding.

"Are you alright, Naruto-kun?"

She said it as if she already knew the answer. Behind that simple question she also said, 'it's alright to cry. I'm here for you.' And I obliged her. I allowed myself to breakdown because somehow I knew that she'd build me back up. Tears began streaming and a low sob started. I gripped Hinata in a tight and desperate embrace and literally cried on her shoulder. It was all I could do to not sob into the dirt. I let myself go as Hinata soothingly embraced me back and once again took away the pain. She would whisper things like 'it's alright now' and 'it's all over.'

After a few minutes I heard a medical team cautiously approaching. Hinata okayed them and they rushed to our aid. She helped the team stand me up and place me on the gurney. The whole way to the medical tents Hinata rubbed her thumb on my cheek and said, "it's ok. Please rest now." After a few minutes in the tent, with Hinata at my side, I finally allowed myself to pass out from utter exhaustion.


	2. Chapter 2

I didn't allow myself to relax until Naruto was safe inside the medical tent. He seemed so distraught and broken when the battle was over. I'd never really seen him cry quite like that, nor had I seen him look so defeated. I tried to understand what he might've been feeling during that moment on the battlefield but he seemed a little out of reach. He just needed someone there for him.

So now here I am sitting next to Naruto's cot in the medical tent. A few teams were rushing around trying to provide care to the many wounded. There were many more rows of cots filled up with severely injured ninjas. They moaned and cried from the pain of their injuries as well as the pain that resulted from trying to heal them. It was never fun to have bones set back in place before being casted.

I tried to ignore the others and go off in my own little world of thoughts and memories. I simply held Naruto's hand and watched him rest. He seemed so peaceful but at the same time troubled. I remembered Naruto being more or less of an active sleeper – always tossing and turning and talking… and migrating from his original sleeping area. I remember this one mission we had when we were kids. We had to find some sort of bug for Shino. I was excited that I got to have a mission with him and he was simply excited to have another mission.

We've both changed a lot since then. He wasn't that prankster kid anymore and I wasn't that shy, timid girl anymore. I watched the steady rise and fall of his chest and looked at the calm expression on his face. I moved some strands of blonde locks from his face and noticed the slightest bit of whiskers on his chin. It was a bit strange seeing such a mature face on the boy that used to cause so much trouble.

"How's he doing, Hinata?" I was a bit startled when I first heard the voice. I turned my head and saw Sakura standing at the end of Naruto's cot with his medical sheet in her hand. She flipped through the papers then looked at me. "He's doing alright. He hasn't woken up yet, but he seems stable."

Sakura walked to the other side of the cot and quickly checked his vitals. She recorded them on his medical papers then dropped them back into the box by the end of the cot. "Have you gotten any sleep lately? You could use some." I looked up at the clock and saw that over twelve hours had past. "No I haven't. I'm fine, Sakura. I wouldn't be able to sleep anyway." I looked back at Naruto and Sakura put her hand on my shoulder. "We're all worried about Naruto. We all want him to be ok. It's alright to take a break for awhile. There are plenty of people that can watch him while you rest." I shook my head and looked up at Sakura. "We both know that I can't do that, Sakura."

She looked at Naruto then back at me and smiled. "Well alright, don't deprive yourself too much." She looked at the clock then back at me and said, "Well I'm going to grab some food before my break is over. A private tent is being set up for him as we speak. I'll be back in a little bit to help move him." And just like that she walked out of the medical tent.

I sat there for another hour just thinking to myself if things between me and Naruto would change at all. If I would somehow get lucky and win his heart and live happily ever after. Somehow I felt that wouldn't happen. Maybe I was fooling myself. He was the hero of Konoha that ended the fourth great ninja war. I knew that I was, at the very least, a closer friend to him but I knew who he loved. I'd normally think better things of Sakura but sometimes I only felt jealousy towards her. Sometimes I would just be filled with a kind a dislike that I knew wasn't kind. I couldn't really help or understand it.

I'd again been so wrapped in my thoughts that the sudden bit of sound on movement startled me. I snapped back to reality and saw that Naruto's hand had come up to his face and was now rubbing his eye. He inhaled sleepily and sighed and stretched. Then he opened his eyes and looked at me. I'd fallen in love with those eyes the moment I first saw them. They were that perfect shade of blue that made oceans and the sky wish that they were bluer. Then he did his trademark yawn and for a moment seemed to be back to normal. I simply smiled at him and said, "Hey sleepyhead."

He laughed and sat up on his cot and stretched some more. "How long was I out?" I looked up at the clock and said, "I think about 15 hours or longer. It's a bit hard to say." His eyes got wide and he said in a shocked tone, "15 hours!? You all let me sleep that long when there's a war going on!?" He reached to rip off the blanket so he could rush to battle but I stopped him and reminded him that it was all over.

He looked at for a minute with a confused expression. Then for a few moments he seemed to be trying to remember what happened. The renewed look of dread on his face told me that he remembered. He looked down at his hands and said nothing. I decided that if I could get him to talk about it then maybe I could help him feel better. I sat on the side of the bed and made him look up at me. "What's bothering you Naruto?"

He avoided my gaze at first but eventually gave in. "I know that I ended the possibility of more suffering but…" when he trailed off he looked away from me again and sighed. I brought my hand up to his cheek. "But what? What is it?" He sighed again and said, "I don't know… I just feel like I lost. I couldn't stop so many deaths, Hinata. I feel like all of this is my fault. Maybe if I had just surrendered the kyuubi then maybe all those shinobi wouldn't have died."

"Naruto you listen to me. It would've happened even if you surrendered. At least this way they didn't die in vain. They didn't die so that the world and everything in it would become an illusion. They died so that we would be free. And it's not your fault because you did nothing wrong. They didn't put their lives in yours hands, Naruto… they put their hopes and dreams for the future in your heart." He looked at me with a certain level of seriousness that I didn't know he was capable of. "I know. But I can't help what I feel and I feel guilty. I'll probably always feel guilty."

He turned and swung his legs over the other side of the cot. He stayed that way for a few minutes. He took a few deep breathes then turned around and faced me. I hadn't expected what he'd do or say next but it was a pleasant surprise. He grabbed me and a hug and said, "Thank you, Hinata. Thank you for believing in me when I didn't believe in myself." I smiled and hugged him back. "No Naruto… Thank you for believing in me."


	3. Chapter 3

Hinata and I stayed like that for a few moments. I felt at ease and safe in her arms and a feeling of relief washed over me. I no longer felt worry or fear or even aggression. I simply felt… happy. Whatever was causing this feeling, I couldn't be sure. It was probably a number of things; however, it could have easily just been a single thing. Perhaps the feeling of victory? Maybe the chance of a fresh start? Possibly the suffering that was prevented?

My mind boggled those things as meaningful possibilities, but they didn't seem to be completely responsible for the feeling I had. I wasn't completely familiar to it. I got a slight nervous excitement that seemed almost like… butterflies. I couldn't recall the sensation ever happening to me before but I knew now what the cause was.

I started thinking back to that day in Konoha when Pein attacked. The village layed waste to ruin and death. Everyone was either searching for loved ones, helping the wounded, or trying to fight off the intruders. I was fighting the "Yahiko" Pein when I was pinned by those infernal chakra rods. Such a strange and unclean feeling entered my own chakra as I watched my enemy ready to administer the death blow. I remembered the shock I felt when he suddenly darted away to avoid an attack. I remembered Hinata and her bravery. And… I remembered what she said to me. What she confessed to me.

I was brought back to the present when I heard another familiar voice enter the tent. I knew the tone to be Sakura and I also knew what she was about to unleash on me. As Hinata and I broke our hug, Sakura stormed over to my cot. I knew what she was going to say. It would be the same as always. "How can you be such a reckless idiot?" and "You could have died out there!" Then she would finish with another display of brute strength even though I was already injured. And that's exactly what followed her reaching my side.

After she was done with another of her rants she was about to punch my head. But I guess that I got sick of it since I caught her fist this time in my hand. She looked at me in confusion and then asked the stupidest question I ever heard. "What wrong with you?" I snapped at that. I shoved her hand aside, jumped up from my cot, and stood in front of Sakura with appearant anger on my face.

"What's wrong with ME?! What's wrong with YOU?! I was perfectly fine before you decided to rush in just to deliver another fist to my head! I'm so sick of you beating me for no reason. And you what else, Sakura? I'm sick of you!"

I stood there just glaring at Sakura. The shock on Sakura and Hinatas faces were very obvious. Sakura seemed like she wanted to say something but didn't know exactly what. Instead of her backfiring like I expected her to do but she just turned around and left. After she was out of the tent I realized that Hinata was still in shock and that my torso was sore. I gently pressed on the right side of my ribcage and winced. Yippy, broken ribs. I sat down again and tried to breath without causing strain to my bones.

Hinata looked me over with confusion then decided to help heal me. When I tried to hold my side after sudden feelings of setting and discomfort she would simply slap away my hand and continue. She said nothing and neither did I. I didn't speak because I'd started thinking again back to that day. I assumed she hadn't spoken simply because she didn't know what to say after my little outburst. After a few minutes of silence a messenger quickly came in with a note for Hinata.

I didn't see what it said but it seemed to be short since she almost immediately stood up and grabbed her vest. She walked around to the other side of the cot and helped me stand so as to not misplace my ribs. I was the first to speak. "Where're we going, Hinata?"

She said, "You're being moved to your tent now. They've finished setting it up." That was all the explanation I needed to hear. We slowly walked our way outside of the medical tent and made our way to mine. We passed many open tents and pavilions and many ninja that looked bored.

I was relieved when we finally made it down the long path to my tent. As soon as we got inside I somehow stepped wrong, shimmied my torso, and popped a few unhealed junctions in my ribcage. I grunted from the discomforting pain and clutched my side as I fell on one knee. Hinata instantly knew what happened.

"Where does it hurt, Naruto-kun?"

I put my hand over the area. She activated her byakugan and studied the area. Then in one swift motion she moved away my hand and quickly poked a few seemingly random points on the area. The pain instantly went away. I also felt a little numb and sluggish and had difficulty standing by myself. Hinata helped me up and took me to my bedroll. She layed me down then covered me with the blanket. My head was swimming with groggyness.

"What did you do?" My speech came out very slurred and relaxed. She simply smiled and said, "I just tweaked a few pressure points, but only the ones that control physical feeling. You're not going to feel that much for the next several hours." I tried to nod my head but it looked more like a jerk. She understood what I was trying to do though. She just continued to smile at me. I felt like sleeping again but I tried to fight it. Hinata told me to rest after seeing my eyelids struggle to stay open. A few more minutes of me trying to delay sleep and utter silence in the tent led me to ask a question.

"Did you really mean what you said?"

She looked at me with confusion.

"Ano, what did I say?"

I only just now realized just how long ago the Konoha battle was and I felt a twinge of guilt for not bringing it up for so long. I blushed a bit as I began again.

"You know… what you said back in Konoha. When you saved me from Pein. Did you really mean it?"

My lids got heavy again and began to close. I let them close and allowed sleep to take me. I heard one last thing before I completely passed out.

"…Yes, Naruto-kun."


End file.
